Movement Demo | Jump Squat

Rogue athlete Arielle Loewen demonstrates proper form for a jump squat in this quick and simple movement demo from Rogue HQ.

A jump squat is a variation of air squat, where the athlete explosively jumps vertically at the top of the squat, then lands and immediately transitions into the next rep. It combines strength (from the squat) with power and speed (from the jump). This plyometric movement (develops speed and force production) is often used by power athletes including sprinters and olympic lifters.

Benefits

• Power Development: Builds explosive hip, quad, and glute drive — useful for Olympic lifting, sprinting, and jumping sports.
• Strength-Endurance: Adds intensity to bodyweight squats without load, and can therefore be used to develop leg stamina.
• Improves coordination, agility, and balance, learning how and when to powerfully extend the legs and hips.
• Requires no equipment.

Set Up

• Feet at approximately shoulder width.
• Toes slightly turned out – ensure knees stay inline with the feet.
• Weight balanced around mid foot.
• Chest tall, back flat.
• Eyes forward.

Execution

• Hips sit back and down.
• Lower the hips until they are deeper than the top of the knees (hips crease lower than the top of the knees).
• Keep the chest tall and back flat.
• Drive through the mid foot, squeezing the glutes and using the hamstrings and quads.
• Accelerate leg drive and explosively jump at the top of the squat. This will cause the athlete to come off the floor.
• You can also swing the arms upwards at the time of the jump to increase upward momentum.

Landing

• Land softly on the balls of the feet, absorbing impact by bending knees into the next squat.
• Keep chest tall and core braced.

To cycle repetitions, as you land, continue the descent straight into the next repetition. Focus on keeping the core tight and chest up.

Regressions

• Limit the depth of the squat.
• Focus on a power hip and knee extension at the top of the squat without the feet leaving the floor.
• Limit the height of the jump.

Progressions

• Full depth squat.
• Jump for height.
• Add weight in the form of a weights vest / dumbbells / hex bar / safety squat bar.
• Tuck Jump Squat, jump high and tuck knees to chest mid-air.
• Broad Jump Squat, jump forward for max distance.
• High Box Jump, perform squat, then jump onto a box (more focus on power than repetition).

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